New Smyrna Beach officer, hotel security, saves man threatening to jump off hotel balcony
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. Jan 13, 2021
A New Smyrna Beach police officer is being credited with saving a man threatening to jump from a hotel balcony.
Officer Tim Hyde’s rescue last Thursday was captured by his body camera. Hyde says he’s no hero but he’s glad that he was there to help.
“He had his feet propped up on the banister. He was on the outside of the railing and he was just hanging on with his hands and he’s leaning backwards,” Hyde recalled.
Officer Hyde got the call Thursday night on a despondent man threatening to jump from a fifth-floor hotel balcony. Though Hyde has only been with the agency since August, he’s had prior law enforcement experience. He said what he was met with called for a calm but quick response.
“Just telling me he can’t do it anymore, he doesn’t want to do this anymore, he just wants to kill himself,” Hyde said.
Hyde said he immediately engaged the man, talking like a friend rather than a police officer as he tried to divert his attention long enough to get close.
The tactic worked and Hyde got to him and pulled him back over the railing with the help of a hotel security guard.
The weeping hysterical man fell into the officer’s arms and the stress of the situation for both became clear.
“I just like having the opportunity to help somebody. It just worked out good that day, thank God,” Hyde said.
